GB2161703A

GB2161703A - Baby carriage seat/bed

Info

Publication number: GB2161703A
Application number: GB08517680A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenzou Kassai
Original assignee: Kassai Co Ltd
Current assignee: Kassai Co Ltd
Priority date: 1984-07-16
Filing date: 1985-07-12
Publication date: 1986-01-22
Also published as: AU579795B2; KR860001562U; FR2567473A1; DE3522718A1; US4741056A; IT8521497A0; IT1215288B; JPS6124267U; GB8517680D0; GB2161703B; AU4373585A; KR890003847Y1

Abstract

A baby carriage seat extension member has a U-form frame (5) with rear or free end portions (4) adapted to be removably attached to the front end portions of a pair of handrails (3) disposed on both sides of the seat (2) of a baby carriage. The frame extends horizontally and supports a front wall (8) and right and left lateral walls (10, 9) having upper edges attached to the frame. A bottom wall is connected to the lower edges of the front wall (8) and of the two lateral walls (10, 9). The bottom wall is longer than the side walls so that the bottom wall covers a substantial portion of the seat surface (11) of the baby carriage seat.

Description

1 GB 2 161 703 A 1

SPECIFICATION

Baby carriage seat extension member Background of the Invention

This invention relates to a baby carriage seat extension member and particularly to a seat extension member adapted to be connected to the front of a seat to change the latter into a bed form.

An arrangement for forwardly extending the seat of a baby carriage is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 32067/1983 (corresponding to United States Patent No. 4, 411,427). It has a seat extension section which, when a slider is forwardly withdrawn, is raised while a portion of the slider is contacting the lower surface of the seat extension section, so that the seat extension section is substantially horizontally extended. The seat 80 extension section thus horizontally extended forms a forward extension of the seat surface of the inherent seat.

Such a seat makes the backrest reclinable, so that the seat can be used as a bed when the backrest is lowered. The aforesaid seat extension section becomes effective when the seat is used in bed form. That is, the seat extension section will form one end portion of the horizontal portion of the bed.

The seat having such prior art seat extension section 90 is advantageous in that the seat surface can be extended in a simple operation.

Although the aforesaid type of seat can be changed into a simple type of bed form according to the need, this is inferiorto the so-called "box-type" seat in livability and safety to babies. The aforesaid "box-type" seat is in the form of a complete box and a baby laid thereon can be completely surrounded with walls on four sides. Thus, no matter how vigorously the baby may move in the seat, there is, in most cases, no possibility of the baby falling off the bed. However, in the case of the aforesaid type of seat, when it is changed into a bed form, the region of the bed around the baby's feet remains open, though the surface of the bed can be formed wide and horizontal; thus, there is no denying that it is inferior in safety.

Further, when the aforesaid type of seat is changed into a bed form, there is produced a difference in level, more or less, between the upper 110 surface of the seat extension section and the seat surface of the inherent seat. Such difference in level degrades the feel imparted to the baby and should be as small as possible.

Summary of the Invention

This invention is intended to solve the problem inherent in a seat which can be changed into the aforesaid simple type of bed form, that is, the problem that it is inferior to the so-called "box-type" seat.

Accord ' ing to this invention, there is provided a seat extension member which used in combination with the inherent seat of a baby carriage and which is prepared separately from the seat. This seat extension member is removable and can be attached to the seat of a baby carriage according to the need.

More particularly, it comprises a frame extending substantially horizontally in U form and having rear end portions adapted to be attached to the front end portions of a pair of handrails disposed on both sides of the seat of a baby carriage. Extending downwardly from said frame are a front wall and right and left lateral walls with their upper sides being formed by said frame, and there is formed a bottom wall connected to the lower sides of said front wall and two lateral walls while extnding to cover at least a portion of the seat surface of the seat.

When the seat extension member of this invention is attached by utilizing a pair of handrails, there are formed a front wall and right and left lateral walls; thus, it is possible to bring about a seat in the socalled "box-type" form whose periphery is closed when it is combined with the inherent seat portion.

According to this invention, there is provided a removable seat extension member which can be handled separately from the seat of a baby carriage and combined with the seat according to the need. Since this seat extension member is formed with a front wall, when it is combined with the seat in its reclined state, the seat can be changed into an almost complete box type bed. Further, since the bottom wall of the seat extension member extends to cover at least a portion of the seat surface of the seat, formation of a clearance or difference in level between the seat extension member and the inherent seat is prevented, so that a desirable feel can be imparted to the baby. Further, such seat extension member can be sold as a part for baby carriages separately from the baby carriage body; thus, by adding the baby carriage consumer's requirement to this seat extension member itself, eventually there is obtained the same effect as if such arrangement meeting said requirement had been originally added to the baby carriage. That is, for a consumer who wishes to have a little more cushioning property imparted to the seat surface of the seat of the baby carriage, for example, such requirement can be fully met by using a seat extension member whose bottom wall has a cushioning property if such seat extension member is prepared. Further, since the seat extension member of the invention can be removed from the body of the baby carriage, when soiled it can be easily washed.

These objects and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent f rom the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings 120 Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a seat extension member 1 according to an embodiment of the invention along with a portion of the seat 2 of a baby carriage; Fig. 2 is a side view of the baby carriage having the seat extension member 1 attached thereto; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing disposition of cores 13a and 13b inserted in the bottom wall 12

2 of the seat extension member 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in section, showing how the rear end portions 4 of the frame 5 of the seat extension member 1 are attached to handrails 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view, partly in section, showing 70 how a torso guard 16 is attached by utilizing the same handrails 3; Fig. 6 shows the seat 2 of the baby carriage changed into a chair from by removing the seat extension member 1 from the baby carriage shown 75 in Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a drawer rod 22 and its related arrangement employed in the baby carriage shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of this invention attached to the inherent seat of a baby carriage. Fig. 2 is a side view 85 of the complete baby carriage having the seat extension member 1 shown in Fig. 1 attached thereto, with the seat 2 of said baby carriage being shown as changed into a bed form.

The seat extension member 1 comprises a frame 5 having rear end portions 4 adapted to be removably attached to the front end portions of a pair of handrails 3 disposed on both sides of the seat 2 of the baby carriage. When in its attached state, the frame 5 extends substantially horizontally and in U form. The frame 5 comprises foldable connecting portions 6a, 6b and 6c. The presence of these connecting portions 6a, 6b and 6c enables the U shaped frame to be folded in such a manner that the left-hand and right-hand sides 7a and 7b move 100 toward each other. Such arrangement is provided in orderto allow the pair of handrails 3 to have their distance reduced since the folding of the baby carriage shown in Fig. 2, which is of the foldable type, involves a widthwise contracting movement of 105 the baby carriage.

Extending downwardly from the frame 5 are a front wall 8 and left-hand and right-hand lateral wails 9 and 10, with their upper sides defined by said frame 5. A bottom wall 12 is connected to the lower sides of the front wall 8 and lateral walls 9 and 10 and extends to cover at least a front portion of the seat surface 11 of the seat 2.

The front wall 8, lateral walls 9 and 11 and bottom wall 12 are sewn of suitable cloth. In Fig. 2, the walls of the seat extension member 1 and seat 2 disposed on this side of the reader are removed, and suitable core may be inserted in the front wall 8 and bottom wall 12 to impart a suitable degree of "stiffness" thereto. In Fig. 3, the manner of inserting cores in the bottom wall 12 is shown. Two cores 13a and 13b extending longitudinally are disposed in side-byside parallel relation. Thus, a foldable region is defined between the two cores 13a and 13b. This is useful in accommodating the transverse contraction 125 which is produced during the folding of the baby carriage. In addition, the bottom surface 12, which serves as s surface to support the weight of a baby, may have a cushioning material inserted therein GB 2 161 703 A 2 according to the need.

In Fig. 2, the bottom wall 12 is not long enough to reach the rear end of the seat surface 11 of the seat 2 lowered into a bed form. This is only a way of taking measures forfacilitating the handling of the seat extension member 1 without increasing its size so much. Thus, the bottom wall 12 may be further extended rearwardly to cover the whole of the seat surface 11 of the seat 2.

The rear end portions 4 of the frame 5 are inserted in forward openings 14 formed in the handrails 3 and are fixed therein. In Fig. 4, the relation between the rear end portion 4 and the handrail 3, the latter being shown in section.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, the rear end portions 4 of the frame 5 are inserted in the openings 14 in the handrails 3 and, in this state, attaching pins 15 are driven thereinto, whereby the frame 3 is fixed to the handrails 3. The attaching pins 15 can be pulled out according to the need, so that the frame 5 can be easily removed from the handrails 3 by hand.

The openings 14 in the handrails 3 are also used for attaching the torso guard 16 shown in Fig. 5. The torso guard 16 is attached between the handrails 3 in place of the seat extension member 1 when the latter is removed as the seat 2 of the baby carriage is changed into a chairform. The torso guard 16 is constructed of a mandrel 18 having foldable portions 17a and 17b adapted to make it foldable in accordance with the folding of the baby carriage, said mandrel being covered with an elastic cover 19. Each end of the mandrel 18 has an attaching block 20 turnably attached thereto by a pivot pin 21. The attaching blocks 20 have substantially the same outer size as the rear end portions 4 of the aforesaid frame 5. Thus, after the frame 5 has been pulled out of the handrails 3, the attaching blocks 20 can be inserted in the openings 14 and fixed therein by the attaching pin 15. In addition, the openings 14 are each opened along a region extending from the front surface to inner lateral surface of the handrail 3. Thereby, the mandrel 18 of the torso guard 16 can be extended from the inner lateral surfaces of the handrails 3. in addition, as another method of attaching the torso guard 16 to the handrails 3, it is possible to pass the attaching pins 15 directly through the ends of the mandrel 18 without using the attaching blocks 20.

In this embodiment, to supplementarily support the bottom wall 12 from below when the seat extension member 1 is attached, use is made of drawer links 22 as shown in Fig. 2. The arrangement associated with such drawer link 22 is shown in a perspective view of Fig. 7.

Drawer links 22 are prepared in a pair and inserted in a pair of longitudinally extending pipe members 23 provided in the body of the baby carriage and, in that state, are slidably held. Connected between the pipe members 24 are a foldable widthw ' ise connecting rod 24 and a first widthwise connecting belt 25. Further, a second widthwise connecting belt 26 is connected between the front ends of the drawer links 22. A wide belt 27 is disposed parallel to and between the pipe members 23 and interconnects the widthwise connecting rod 24 and 3 GB 2 161 703 A 3 first and second widthwise connecting belts 25 and 26. The widthwise connecting rod 24, widthwise connecting belts 25 and 26 and wide connecting belt 27 contact the lower surface of the seat surface 11 of the seat 2 to perform the function of supporting the seat surface 11. The state shown in solid lines in Fig. 7 is a state in which the drawer links 22 are at their rearmost position, with a slack 28 formed in the wide belt 27. When the drawer links 22 are forwardly withdrawn as shown in phantom lines in Fig. 7, the slack 28 disappears, whereby terminal end of forward withdrawal of the drawer links 22 is defined.

Referring principally to Figs. 2 and 6, the method of using the seat 2 of the baby carriage in connecting with the seat extension member 1 will now be described.

In Fig. 2, the seat 2 is combined with the seat extension member 1 into a bed form. The rear portion of the seat 2 is held by rear seat portion support members 31 which are held by main bnd auxiliary levers 29 and 30 which are turnably supported on the rear ends of the handrails 3, and the backrest 32 is allowed to lie horizontally. The main levers 29 in such state are held by reclining adjusting links 34 which are connected to respective push rods 33. The reclining adjusting links 34 are adapted to have their bent state changed so as to change the inclined state of the main levers 29. A head guard 35 connected to and extending from the backrest 32 is held by the rear seat portion support members 31 and forms a rising wall surface. Further, a hood 36 may be attached by utilizing the rear seat portion support members 31.

On the other hand, the seat extension member 1 is positioned to supplement the front portion of the seat 2 thus changed into a bed from. When withdrawn to their foremost position, the draw links 22 support the seat extension member 1 from 100 below.

In Fig. 6 is shown the state of the seat 2 of the baby carriage changed into a chair form. In this state, the backrest 32 of the seat 2 is raised. That is, the reclining adjusting links 34 are bent, whereby the main levers 29 are raised. In response thereto, the rear seat portion support members 31 are upwardly displaced and the backrest 32 is raised. In this state, though not shown in Fig. 6, the head guard 35 ia aligned with the backrest 32 and forms a 110 portion of the backrest 35.

On the other hand, in the front portion of the seat 2, the seat extension member is removed and instead the torso guard 16 is attached. And the drawer links 22 are retracted into the pipe members 115 23. In this embodiment, a depending portion 37 formed as an extension of the seat surface 11 hangs down in response to the retraction of the drawer links 22.

The description has so far been given with 120 reference to the illustrated embodiment, but the drawer links 22 and their related arrangement are supplementarily provided, not being an essential requirement in holding the seat extension member 1.

Further, the baby carriage with which the seat extension 1 according to this invention is used is not limited to the illustrated type. That is, the invention is applicable to any type of baby carriages provided that a pair of handrails or members having a shape corresponding to handrails are formed. Of course, it is not required that such baby carriage be a foldably type baby carriage.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 80 1. A baby carriage seat extension member comprising: a frame

having rear end portions adapted to be removably attached to the front end portions of a pair of handrails disposed on both sides of the seat of a baby carriage, said frame extending substantially horizontally in U form, a front wall and right and left lateral walls whose upper sides are defined by said frame, and a bottom wall connected to the lower sides of said front wall and two lateral walls and extending to cover at least a portion of the seat surface of said seat.
2. A baby carriage seat extension member as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rear end portions of said frame are fixed to the handrails by removable attaching pins driven thereinto when said rear end portions are inserted in forward openings formed in the handrails.
3. A baby carriage seat extension member as set forth in claim 2, wherein the openings in said handrails also serve as openings for receiving the opposite ends of a torso guard adapted to be connected between the handrails.
4. A baby carriage seat extension member as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bottom wall has cores inserted therein.
5. A baby carriage having a seat supported by a main frame which provides members located above and at each side of the seat, and a removable extension piece having an extension frame attached to the said members, the extension frame extending in a generally horizontal U-shaped configuration and being attached to a front end wall and side walls which in turn are attached to a bottom wall, the bottom wall extending rearwardly of the front end wall to reach and overlie at least a portion of the said seat.
6. A removable extension piece for a baby carriage according to claim 5.
7. A baby carriage extension piece substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
8. A baby carriage having an extension piece substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Courier Press, Leamington Spa. 111986. Demand No. 8817443. Published by the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.